Home Sweet Home (1945 film)

Home Sweet Home
Directed by	John E. Blakeley
Written by	Story And Scenario: Roney Parsons Anthony Toner Comedy Scenes devised & arranged by: Arthur Mertz
Produced by	John E. Blakeley
Starring	Frank Randle
Cinematography	Geoffrey Faithfull
Edited by	V. Sagovsky
Music by	Percival Mackey
Production companies	Mancunian Films & Butcher's Film Service (co-production)
Distributed by	Butcher's Film Service (U.K.)
Release date	29 October 1945 (1945-10-29)(U.K.)
Running time	92 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Home Sweet Home is a 1945 British musical comedy film directed by John E. Blakeley and starring Frank Randle, Nicolette Roeg (sister of director Nicolas Roeg) and Tony Pendrell. ^{[1] [2]} It was written by Roney Parsons and Anthony Toner. Set in the fictitious town of Redvale, the film is largely a vehicle for slapstick routines by Randle.

Plot

Spirited orphan Jacqueline Chantry is the chauffeuse to wealthy colonel Wright and his family. Son Eric Wright and Jacqueline fall in love and plan to marry, but the class conscious colonel's wife refuses to give her blessing. Saddened, Jacqueline packs her bags and leaves; eventually becoming a nightclub singer. Eric chases after her, but she's already found Frank, a likeable chap who discovers that Jacqueline is in reality a wealthy heiress.

Cast

• Nicolette Roeg as Jacqueline Chantry
• Frank Randle as Frank
• Tony Pendrell as Eric Wright
• H. F. Maltby as Colonel Wright
• Hilda Bayley as Mrs. Wright
• Cecil Fredericks as Webster
• Stan Little as young Herbert
• Bunty Meadows as Bunty
• Gerhard Kempinski as Pagoli
• George Merritt as Dr. Handy
• Howard Douglas as Martin, the butler
• Iris Vandeleur as Mrs. Jones
• Esma Lewis as Mrs. Luck
• Vincent Holman as the parson
• Lily Lapidus as welfare worker
• Ben Williams as reporter
• Max Melford as policeman
• Rawicz and Landauer as themselves

Critical reception

Kine Weekly called the film "a strong combination of robust box-office comedy with powerful radio and variety appeal. ^[3]

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Frank Randle wends his way through an impossible plot with his familiar brand of slap-stick comedy and usually manages to leave a trail of laughs behind him, particularly at the beginning, when he confuses the birth of Quads to his wife with the four puppies his son brings home." ^[4]

Picture Show wrote: "Jovial knockabout comedy ... Boisterous fun, with first-rate musical "interludes by Rawicz and Landauer, who appear at a factory concert, and good work from the supporting cast." ^[5]

In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Unsophisticated farce-musical, sometimes quite funny." ^[6]

Sky Movies gave it two out of five stars, concluding the film was "Only mild entertainment even when it was made and rather dated now". ^[2]

The reviewer for TV Guide wrote: "It passes the time, but it's not especially memorable." ^[7]

References

1. "Home Sweet Home". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
2. "Home Sweet Home". Sky movies . Archived from the original on 6 May 2018.
3. "Home Sweet Home". Kine Weekly . 342 (1999): 43. 9 August 1945. ProQuest   2687783856.
4. "Home Sweet Home". Monthly Film Bulletin . 12 (133): 93. 1 January 1945. ProQuest   1305806538.
5. "Home Sweet Home". Picture Show . 50 (1280): 11. 12 January 1946. ProQuest   1880292121.
6. Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 218. ISBN   0-7134-1874-5.
7. "Home Sweet Home". TV Guide.^{[ permanent dead link ]}

External links

• Home Sweet Home at IMDb
• Home Sweet Home at ReelStreets